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STOP:
Stop. Pause for a moment
Take a step back. Mentally, emotionally and physically step back from the situation.
Observe. Be aware of your thoughts, emotions and urges to act, while also taking in information about what is happening around you.
Proceed mindfully. Be thoughtful about what your end-goal is and what you believe is a prudent way to get there.
Here is an example of using STOP to improve one’s relationship with their body:
After scrolling through her social media feed, Sally finds herself staring into the mirror, critiquing the way her thighs and stomach are structured compared to some of the people whose social media accounts she follows. Sally often feels defeated because no matter what she does, she continues to carry much of her body weight in her thighs and stomach. Using a harsh tone, she says to herself, “I have an ugly body” and “I will never be happy unless I lose weight.”
S – Sally closes her eyes and coaches herself to stop what she is doing.
T – Sally puts down her phone and takes a step away from the mirror. She takes a deep breath.
O – Sally observes how much worse she feels when she compares her body to someone else’s.
P – Sally realizes that the more she follows certain social media feeds, the more likely she is to feel unhappy with her body. Sally proceeds to stop following certain accounts.
If you have found yourself at times dissatisfied with your body shape and weight, therapy may be able to provide a different framework of thinking, along with various strategies to help you embrace the body you have.
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